Call of Duty Faces Backlash for Prioritizing Store Bundles Over Game Issues

Activision's recent promotion of a new Squid Game-themed store bundle has ignited a firestorm of criticism from the Call of Duty community. The tweet, boasting over 2 million views and countless angry responses, highlights a growing disconnect between Activision and its player base. The outrage stems from the company's apparent prioritization of in-game purchases over addressing critical, ongoing issues plaguing both Warzone and Black Ops 6.

Both titles are currently struggling with significant problems, including rampant cheating in Ranked Play modes, persistent server instability, and other game-breaking bugs. Prominent players, like Scump, have publicly declared the franchise's current state as its worst ever. This sentiment is echoed by a substantial portion of the community, who feel Activision is failing to adequately address these concerns.

The controversial tweet, posted on January 8th, promoted a new store bundle featuring characters from Squid Game. This promotional effort, coming amidst widespread player frustration, has been interpreted as tone-deaf and further exacerbating the situation. Many players, including prominent content creators like FaZe Swagg, have directly called out Activision for its apparent inability to "read the room." The sentiment is widespread, with comments expressing frustration over broken ranked play and the perceived prioritization of profit over fixing the game. CharlieIntel, a gaming news outlet, succinctly summarized the situation, highlighting the disparity between unplayable ranked matches and the constant promotion of new bundles. Even players like Taeskii are boycotting store purchases until the anti-cheat measures are improved.

The negative impact is evident in the game's dwindling player base. Since the October 2024 release of Black Ops 6, Steam statistics reveal a dramatic 47% player drop-off. While platform-specific data for PlayStation and Xbox is unavailable, the Steam numbers suggest a significant exodus likely linked to the unresolved issues within the game.

The situation underscores a growing concern within the gaming community regarding the balance between monetization and maintaining a positive player experience. Activision's response, or lack thereof, to this widespread criticism will be crucial in determining the future of Call of Duty's player base and reputation.